State braces for another blast of too much summer

RACHEL AFFLICK27 Jan 2014, 10:18 p.m.

Prepare yourself for another heatwave Ballarat.

State braces for another blast of too much summer

Chris, James and Matthew Burt kept cool on Australia Day by joining in the fun at the Brown Hill pool. Ballarat – and the rest of the state – is set to endure a run of high temperatures for the rest of this week.

Much of state will again face scorching conditions and elevated fire risks in coming days, with temperatures in some towns in the state’s north-west likely to exceed 40 degrees for at least six days in a row.

Weatherzone meteorologist Kim Westcott said Ballarat would be 39 degrees and windy today, and it was just the start of more heat to come.

Although a cool change will bring relief tomorrow, the hot weather is just taking a break and will return to region in time for the weekend.

“Saturday and Sunday, we’re going to get back to those hot temperatures again, so 38 and 39 degrees,” Ms Westcott said. By Sunday, most of the state, along with south-eastern SA and southern NSW, will have severe heatwave conditions.

Victoria’s heatwave earlier this month broke records, with Melbourne recording four consecutive days above 41 degrees for the first time.

Health authorities estimate that as many as 139 people died, in excess of the numbers normally expected, with the extreme heat a likely factor. State control centre spokesman Paul Huggett said Victoria was entering the peak of the fire season just as the heat returned.

“Tomorrow will be what we call the ‘spike day’,” Mr Huggett said.

He said given the hot and dry conditions of the last couple of weeks, most parts of the state “are very dry and ready to burn’’.